The free agent summer of 2018 started July 1 and was all but over July 2, by which time LeBron James, Paul George, Chris Paul and DeMarcus Cousins were off the board, even if Boogie, volatile as always, decided he had to take a one-year, $5.3 million contract with Golden State.

The Lakers reportedly passed on their chance to rent Cousins next season since he’ll be out until January or so after Achilles surgery.

The Lakers have big plans. After eight years of being nobody, the league-wide impact of this summer’s moves starts with …

• The Lakers still hope to become a super-team … just not this season.

Sign up for Home Turf and get exclusive stories every SoCal sports fan must read, sent daily. Subscribe here.

Instead, the story became the team’s puzzling moves and a debate about their puzzling moves – no shooters? Lance Stephenson? – and a debate about their path forward.

Nevertheless, with all their one-year deals, it’s clear the Lakers have turned to the two-year approach that Magic Johnson talked about June 25 when he said he would “step away” if no superstars came.

So now that we know that Magic will still be around. …

If he had to ask James to wait a year, at 33, there is an incredible array of projected 2019 free agents – Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving – with dramatically better chances of getting one with LeBron here.

It’s also clear that LeBron signed off on the plan, so what’s not to like about it?

If it comes off, they can get a franchise player a lot younger than 33 and become The Lakers of Old. How many fans were sure they would see that again in their lifetime?

If confusion reigns about what the Lakers are up to, it’s because people are hung up on Leonard.

This might not change soon because …

• Whatever the Spurs do with Leonard will be on their schedule.

This is only a surprise for those who were so excited, they assumed Coach/Team President Gregg Popovich would trade Kawhi immediately to make it an even bigger story.

Unfortunately, as interested teams checked with Leonard, they got the same answer – he wants to be a Laker – slashing his value to anyone else.

Celtics GM Danny Ainge said a blockbuster wasn’t likely, suggesting that he decided not to offer a mega-package for a player who might leave in a year.

The 76ers have yet to offer Markelle Fultz, worried as they seem about his future, for the same reason that Ainge held back.

• Despite on-air debates on the Lakers’ advisability of trading for Leonard now, rather than waiting, that ship has sailed.

Even the Lakers are no longer going all-out, with reports that they won’t offer Kyle Kuzma.

With the likelihood of getting Kawhi or KD in a year, why give up a prospect whose outside shooting makes him a good fit with James?

• The Lakers’ puzzling moves were Johnson’s ideas, which James signed off on.

This comes from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne … after Windhorst, the long-time James insider, grabbed his head in shock on live television over the moves that didn’t include the 3-point shooters LeBron needs.

Instead, Magic wanted athletes who could switch on screens … as his Showtime Lakers did … putting teeth in the defense.

Of course, the Cavs wanted the same thing at midseason when they turned over half their roster to get younger and more athletic, acquiring George Hill, Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hill.

James’ supporting casts are remembered in two ways: 1) Helped Him Win a Title; and 2) We’re Not Doing That Again.

And I don’t see a title coming next season.

Happily for the Lakers, with the flexibility they’re also building in, they’ll have plenty of time to adjust if needed.

• Johnson wants James to play out of the post … as Magic did when he got older.

This might be why Julius Randle was renounced so quickly. As someone who wants to get the ball low, or to drive it into the middle, he would be a problematic fit with LeBron in there.

Magic’s suggestion makes sense but we’ll have to see if LeBron can do it.

LeBron said he’ll try – but despite years of suggestions that he move his huge body closer to the basket, he always went back to playing from the top of the floor, like a point guard.

• The Lakers just put the Ball family on notice.

With all the fur flying, you could have missed the report that the team was fuming that word got out about Lonzo’s knee injury … as he was being offered to San Antonio as part of the Lakers package.

The leak, the Lakers suspect, came from LaVar Ball, trying to keep Lonzo here.

This is accepted truth to insiders. ESPN’s Jalen Rose called it “obvious,” even claiming Lonzo was in on it, diminishing his own value by writing a rap song mocking Kuzma.

The Lakers immediately signed Rajon Rondo, letting LaVar know that Lonzo is anything but the hope of the franchise he was a year ago.

LaVar, still oblivious to warnings, was soon back at it, saying Lonzo would make LeBron better, vowing all three sons would be Lakers – even if they wouldn’t even put LiAngelo at the end of their bench on their summer team – crowing, “I called LeBron to L.A. … I knew he was coming to L.A., man! Everything lined up for me!”

Everything’s lined up for him, or at him, all right, like a cannon, pointing in the direction of a future with or without a Ball in sight or, hopefully, in sound.

Mark Heisler has written an NBA column since 1991 and was honored with the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Award in 2006. His column is published Sundays in Southern California News Group print editions.